Spring Spruce Up: Everydays True Value Ready for Spring Projects

Spring has sprung; there are bees buzzing, flowers bloom and, for many Chautauqua County citizens, to-do lists are growing. From indoor improvements to gardening or preparing for the long-awaited “outdoor living” season, folks are making plans and finding places to source the things they need. Mike Laurin, owner of Everydays True Value in Jamestown, is confident his store can help customers get their projects done and make their springtime dreams come true.

“Springtime is the time of year when customers begin transitioning from general repair projects to working on projects that they enjoy,” Laurin said. “It’s nice to help customers with these projects, and we enjoy seeing before and after pictures. I think most people are just excited to be outside, including us!”

Everydays True Value, located at 797 Foote Ave., is a local hardware store that is family-owned and has a long history of providing area residents with all their DIY, outdoor and repair needs. Laurin said the company’s great customer service, dedication to the community and expertise are fundamental to their operation.

“One of our core values at Everydays True Value is to treat our customers and coworkers as family; it is that relationship that led me to purchase Everydays,” he said. “On October 20, 1998, I began a part-time job at my neighborhood hardware store that would transition to a lifelong career.”

In his 28 years with the company, Laurin said his favorite part is knowing everyone who works at the store prides themselves on being helpful to customers. He is proud of the fact that his staff is extremely knowledgeable and has a long history in their respective fields.

“There is always someone here to ask,” he said. “If we don’t have something, they will try to order it for customers or recommend somewhere else to find it. That’s the benefit of working with such a diverse group of people: someone here has seen it before and knows how to help. Even when customers ask for that ‘thingamabob,’ we usually know what they want.”

Laurin said long-time Jamestown residents may remember the store as Southside Hardware or Green Brothers Hardware. He is honored to continue that legacy into the future under the Everdays True Value name.

“I’m not sure when or who started utilizing the brand ‘True Value’ at this location, but I’m glad they did,” he added. “One thing that remains the same is our mission to provide superior customer service, offer excellent products at reasonable prices and employ trained staff who offer valuable advice in a friendly manner. It is this mission that fosters relationships with our customers and drives us to be the best hardware store in town.”

The spring season is especially when these values shine. Laurin said customers often return to his store due to the wide array of products and services that it offers. For example, a customer doesn’t need to purchase certain equipment to get their projects done; Laurin said the store rents backhoes, excavators, trenchers, rototillers, aerators and ethatchers for those big outdoor projects. Likewise, the store is proud to stock complete product assortments that ensure customers will find what they need all in one place.

“Stocking the full line of products and services is what our customers need to complete their projects,” Laurin said. “If a customer wants to plant a garden, they know we have everything they need. Even renting a rototiller to cultivate new garden soil or fertilizer.”

Everydays True Value is also a full-service Husqvarna and STIHL dealer for those looking for lawn care equipment. Laurin said lawn-related projects are particularly popular this time of year.

“It’s still fun to see the look on someone’s face when we fire up their new tractor, push mower, trimmer or saw,” he said. “They always smile and are generally excited to get home and start working. There is also a sense of accomplishment after doing yard work.”

For those who already own their equipment, Laurin said there are still services that can benefit them at his store. In his experience, he said the most overlooked service this time of year is a general service for outdoor power equipment, such as garden tractors and mowers.

“Even changing the oil and sharpening the blades can help maintain the equipment longer,” he said. “It’s also easier and cheaper to maintain equipment than to have to order and replace parts. Customers can also do some preventive maintenance by always using fresh fuel. We see a lot of carburetor repair and equipment not running because the fuel being used has been sitting for months.”

Aside from lawn care projects, Laurin said painting projects are another quick but impactful project many people undertake in the spring.

“It’s something everyone can do that has immediate results,” he said. “Thankfully, True Value manufactures great paint at their paint manufacturing plant in Carry, IL. This allows us to sell great products at a reasonable price compared to large national brands.”

For those looking for specific colors for their painting projects, Everydays True Value has them covered. Laurin said they are dedicated to helping customers find the perfect color for them.

“Paint color matching is the most utilized service we do at Everydays,” he added. “We’ve had customers bring in all sorts of materials to color match, not just paint chips: we’ve matched colors from pillows, curtains, jerseys and even a plant leaf.”

Whatever the project is, Laurin said the tools and supplies residents need can generally be found at Everydays True Value. When asked what tools he would recommend homeowners or gardeners should have on hand, Laurin harkened back to a trusty MacGyver favorite.

“I would suggest a Swiss Army Knife,” he said. “We do have an assortment of pocketknives, including Swiss Army Knives.”

However, Laurin said the staff enjoys getting to know about customers’ projects and thinking about tools that will help them. “The top-selling tools purchased at Everydays are probably the 4-in-1 screwdriver, Crescent wrench, tape measure and paintbrush,” he said.

Everydays True Value works to keep up with the current trends in outdoor living and home improvement so customers will always be able to get what they need. Laurin said the top activities and projects this year “revolve around our feathered friends, live plants and grilling.” While the store stocks bird food and bird feeders all year, at this time of year, the sales increase as the weather gets warmer.

The store also stocks a variety of live plants this time of year, for those who like to bring a little of the outdoors inside.

“We stock a nice assortment of house plants,” he added.

Laurin didn’t leave out the grilling enthusiasts who are ready to get outside and prepare their favorite foods on the grill. He said interest in grilling continues to grow and has become a year-round adventure for many customers. As nicer weather approaches, Laurin said the store is ready for increased interest, especially with the addition of Napoleon grills to their inventory.

Everydays True Value is located at 797 Foote Ave. in Jamestown, NY. The store is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. To get in touch, call 716-484-7188 or visit www.everdaystruevalue.com for more information.